How to Parent Right From the Start (and What to Do if We Didn’t) with Dr. Vanessa Lapointe
Didn’t start out as a gentle parent? You’re not alone — and the best time to begin again is today.
Psychologist and bestselling author Dr. Vanessa LaPointe joins Wendy to explore how to parent right from the start—and what to do if you didn’t. From inner-child healing and nervous system safety to practical, firm-and-kind boundaries, Dr. Vanessa offers a compassionate roadmap for raising kids without shame or fear.
You’ll hear why “we parent as we were parented,” how to spot (and soothe) your own age-regressed reactions, and what Dr. Vanessa calls parental swagger—the calm, confident presence kids lean into at every age. If you’re parenting tweens or teens, don’t miss her reframe: it’s not too late—it’s prime time.
Perfect for parents of strong-willed kids, caregivers rethinking punishment, and anyone ready to trade compliance for connection.
Head to https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/299 for more info and guest links.
⭐️Grab my FREE Quick Start Compassionate Discipline Learning Bundle today and discover how to build a strong, compassionate, FIRM & effective discipline toolkit that works with kids of ALL ages!!
👉 https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/discipline
🗺 The Firm & Kind Parenting Blueprint is your step by step plan & video training to help you build the family of your dreams. Click here to learn more!
👉https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/firmandkind
🔔 Don't forget to check us out over on YouTube!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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5 Step-Parenting Mistakes That Hold Us Back with Cameron Normand
Is step-parenting feeling harder than you expected? You’re not alone — and you’re not doing it wrong.
In this heartfelt and practical episode, Wendy talks with Cameron Normand, founder of Step Family Solutions and host of The Stepmom Diaries, about the five most common mistakes stepparents make — and what to do instead.
Drawing from her own experience as a stepmom of four (including one with special needs) and years of coaching stepfamilies, Cameron shares real-world tools for building connection, setting boundaries, and finding peace in the beautiful chaos of blended family life.
You’ll learn:
✨ Why striving for perfect only fuels burnout (and how to shift to “present & good enough”)
✨ How to practice connection before correction and redefine discipline in stepfamilies
✨ Why kind boundaries are essential self-care for every stepparent
✨ The “circle of control” reframe that protects your energy and confidence
✨ How to stop comparing your stepfamily to a “first family” and build your own positive memory bank
Head to https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/298 for more info and guest links.
⭐️Grab my FREE Quick Start Compassionate Discipline Learning Bundle today and discover how to build a strong, compassionate, FIRM & effective discipline toolkit that works with kids of ALL ages!!
👉 https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/discipline
🌱 Head to http://freshstartfamilyonline.com/kidsoils to get your hands on the kids essential oils kit that helps fill your home with peace one deep breath at a time.
🗺 The Firm & Kind Parenting Blueprint is your step by step plan & video training to help you build the family of your dreams. Click here to learn more!
👉https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/firmandkind
🔔 Don't forget to check us out over on YouTube!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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C-Section Births and the Trauma No One Talks About with Rachel Somerstein
When one in three births in the U.S. is a C-section, why aren’t we talking more openly about what those experiences feel like?
In this heartfelt conversation, journalist and author Rachel Somerstein joins Wendy to discuss the hidden trauma many parents carry after surgical birth — and how awareness, preparation, and compassion can change everything.
Together they explore:
• What a “gentle C-section” really means
• How language like “failure to progress” fuels shame
• Ways to prepare emotionally and physically for surgical birth
• Tools for healing afterward — from EMDR to somatic movement
This episode offers validation, hope, and practical ways to advocate for yourself and others — whether you’re preparing for birth or still making peace with the one you already had.
Kind note: This episode includes discussion of surgical birth, emergency procedures, and difficult postpartum experiences. Please listen with care.Head to https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/297 for more info and guest links.
⭐️Grab my FREE Quick Start Compassionate Discipline Learning Bundle today and discover how to build a strong, compassionate, FIRM & effective discipline toolkit that works with kids of ALL ages!! 👉 https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/discipline
🗺The Firm & Kind Parenting Blueprint is your step by step plan & video training to help you build the family of your dreams. Click here to learn more! 👉https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/firmandkind
🌱 Head to http://freshstartfamilyonline.com/kidsoils to get your hands on the kids essential oils kit that helps fill your home with peace one deep breath at a time.
🔔 Don't forget to check us out over on YouTube!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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When Kids Can’t Stop: Impulsivity in Neurodiverse Kids & How Parents Can Help with Emily Hamblin
On this enlightening episode of the Fresh Start Family show, Wendy welcomes educator, coach, and host of the Enlightening Motherhood podcast Emily Hamblin to talk about impulsivity in neurodivergent kids and what actually helps. Drawing from her work with families and her own parenting journey, Emily shares simple brain science, the ways wiring and conditioning interact, and playful practices that help kids build self-control without shame.
Together, Wendy and Emily explore practical strategies for setting firm-and-kind boundaries, reframing challenging behaviors, and recognizing the strengths hidden inside “impulsivity.” This conversation is hopeful, compassionate, and packed with “try it today” ideas to bring more calm and confidence into your home.
Head to https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/296 for more info and guest links.
⭐️Grab my FREE Quick Start Learning Bundle & discover 3 secrets to empower, connect, and build true collaboration with your strong-willed child!
🗺 The Firm & Kind Parenting Blueprint is your step by step plan & video training to help you build the family of your dreams. Click here to learn more! 👉https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/firmandkind
🔔 Don't forget to check us out over on YouTube!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Spare the Rod, Strengthen the Child: Understanding & Overcoming the Spanking Culture with Marissa Burt & Kelsey McGinnis
In this episode of The Fresh Start Family Show, Wendy talks with authors Kelsey McGinnis and Marissa Burt about their new book, The Myth of Good Christian Parenting. Together they explore how spanking culture took root in many church communities, what Scripture really says (and doesn’t say), and how parents can move toward a faith-aligned, compassionate approach to discipline.
This conversation is full of hope, healing, and encouragement. You’ll walk away with tools to release old fears, respond with calm and connection, and build the kind of legacy your kids will carry with joy.
Head to https://www.freshstartfamilyonline.com/295 for more info and guest links.
⭐️ Grab my FREE Quick Start Learning Bundle & discover 3 secrets to empower, connect, and build true collaboration with your strong-willed child!
🗺 The Firm & Kind Parenting Blueprint is your step by step plan & video training to help you build the family of your dreams. Click here to learn more! 👉 https://freshstartfamilyonline.com/firmandkind
🔔 Don't forget to check us out over on YouTube!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
A podcast about parenting, family & relationships, the Fresh Start Family Show is hosted by husband and wife team Terry and Wendy Snyder, who interview inspiring experts that tackle a range of topics that bring reality, hope, and a path to more peace in the home and world. Expand your heart, learn new tools, strengthen your family.
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